We are Against the Use of Compression Socks/Stockings

When preparing for acupuncture treatment and rolling up their pants, quite a few patients are found to be wearing compression stockings. The reason they wear them is because of leg swelling or varicose veins. When they visit their family doctor for such issues, they are usually prescribed or advised to wear compression stockings.

We understand why doctors prescribe them. These stockings are meant to prevent leg swelling and pain that can accompany the swelling. However, they are not effective at reducing swelling and pain that are already present. They are also not effective at resolving the circulatory/vascular issue that causes the swelling and pain in the first place. 

We discourage long-term usage of the compression socks/stockings. In fact, we advise all of our patients to ditch it because by the time they come see us, they have been using it for a long time. If it were just neutral/ineffective at resolving the root problem, we wouldn’t be “against” it. Compression may prevent the varicose veins from becoming more distended, but it does this by blocking the circulation going down to the feet. Insufficient circulation in the lower limbs can cause other sorts of problems, such as numbness, tingling, and pain. 

The best method to treat the conditions that initially prompted the patient to wear compression socks/stockings is to improve circulation (i.e., clearing any factors that make their blood viscous, as well as increasing tissue perfusion with blood). In Chinese medicine, varicose veins are seen as a form of Blood Stasis. Leg edema also occurs because blood stays in the lower body longer than it should, rather than returning to the heart quickly. Then the fluid component of the blood becomes extravasated into the interstitial spaces. When blood circulation improves, the patient will no longer get recurrent pain, cramps, and swelling in their legs. Thus, when we see patients with bluish/blackish legs due to compromised circulation, as well as those with taut swollen legs (to the point that water droplets come out when we retract the acupuncture needles from their legs), the imperative treatment principle is to promote Blood Circulation. In patients with edema, we will also incorporate an additional treatment principle of draining or resolving dampness and harmful fluids.